


Hope We Always Feel Like Home

by hyuckshot



Series: A Room for Four [3]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Kissing, M/M, Meeting the Parents, Single Parent Lee Donghyuck, Single Parents, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Twins
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-09
Updated: 2020-04-09
Packaged: 2021-03-01 16:41:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23560231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hyuckshot/pseuds/hyuckshot
Summary: It's been some time since Donghyuck and Mark started spending time with each other. The twins love him, Donghyuck loves him, and Mark is more than willing to stay as long as the three would let him.Donghyuck deems it as the time Mark finally meets his parents and to say the least, Mark is a nervous mess.
Relationships: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee
Series: A Room for Four [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1604320
Comments: 16
Kudos: 380





	Hope We Always Feel Like Home

**Author's Note:**

> HELLO!!
> 
> Honestly, this has been sitting in my drafts for months now and I've never actually bothered to publish it or let it see the light of day, just because I don't feel like it deserves to. There are so much perspective switches in this work and I do apologize if it leaves any sort of confusion. I didn't bother to fix the perspectives since it would be SO MUCH work, but I'm going to take note of this and try to improve my omniscient POV writing for the next works to come.
> 
> Big thank you to Lily (@Ophelialilies) for beta reading this train wreck of a fic!!!<333

“Mark will you please calm down?” Donghyuck sighs, hands cupping either side of Mark’s face. The elder sighs in return and slumps his shoulders forward, wrapping his arms around Donghyuck’s waist to pull him closer.

“What if she hates me?” he asks. It was ridiculous how Mark can think Donghyuck’s mother would hate him when the younger has told nothing but good stories about him. She was the nicest being on earth and if Donghyuck loves something or someone, she’ll love them to.

“She won’t hate you, Mark,” he rolls his eyes, “She’s my mom. The kids love you and I...” Donghyuck averts his gaze to the wall at the side, “and I love you. She’ll surely love you.”

“You don’t know that.” Mark mumbles, lips forming into a pout and Donghyuck just wants to kiss it off of him, “Your dad?”

“Dad will try to intimidate you but he’s in it for your reactions, give him the sweetest smile and he’ll say it’s no fun anymore and act his normal self.” He smiles, giving Mark a little kiss on his lips.

“His normal self meaning?” Mark trails off, uneasy with how the younger describes his parents. They didn’t really go through a good briefing, Donghyuck’s mom and dad just suddenly thought dinner would be nice with the kids and he could bring his boyfriend and see how it goes down. Of course, without thinking, he said yes. It is kind of about time they met Mark and soon enough Donghyuck would be meeting Mark’s parents too which they’re not too sure how it’ll end. Having a boyfriend with kids, regardless of how sweet the three were, was kind of a bit too much to take in.

“Meaning, he’s amazing, very understanding and good company.” he smiles proudly, shrugging out of Mark’s hold and retreating into the kids’ room to fix their backpacks and baby necessities. Mark stands in the middle of the small living room, pout evident on his lips and frown etched on his face. He can’t blame anyone for his nerves, it’s his first time meeting Donghyuck’s parents and he wants to make a really good impression. He’ll probably make a fool out of himself because they obviously have a perfect son but Mark will try. He surely will. 

When the kids are ready to go, they make their way to hold onto Mark’s hand, knowing their appa’s favorite friend will use his car on their way to granny’s house. They stare up at Mark with happy round eyes, that of their father’s, and wait for Mark to pick them up and put them in the comfort of their seatbelts. Mark can’t help scrunching his nose, not because of anything but how adorable they looked. Dowon with pigtails and a baby blue sweater written “Daughter of the best appa” and Dongwoo with his curly hair in a similar baby blue sweater with “Super appa” written on it instead. He looks over at Donghyuck and the backpacks hanging on his shoulders, ruining his posture, his tousled hair and the sheepish smile he gives Mark, knowing he’s seen the shirts. He walks over to them, dropping everything in the back compartment before helping Mark put the kids in place. 

“Mom and dad got those sweaters for them,” he mumbles shyly and Mark tries his best to not coo over the pink dusting his boyfriend’s cheeks.

“You know we never really got to that courting thing, we just kind of kissed and now I’m meeting your parents, they might–“ Donghyuck cuts Mark off with a hand on his mouth, “Shut up!”

The once pink dusting his cheeks is now a full flush making him look even more adorable than he already is and it makes Mark’s heart hurt to just stand there and not do anything, so he gives Donghyuck a peck on the lips. The younger frowns, hitting his shoulder lightly before sneaking a glance at the kids seated inside the car. They look at them with wide eyes unblinking. The atmosphere feels hotter and Mark notices how Donghyuck’s cheeks redden further.

“What? Have they not seen us kiss before? I’m sure they have.” 

“I don’t know, Mark, just get in the car.” 

“After you, sunshine.” He smiles smugly, opening the car door for Donghyuck before walking to the other side to buckle up and start the engine. 

The car ride isn’t too long and it’s filled with Donghyuck annoying Mark during red lights, Mark’s hands reaching over the younger’s thighs and knees when he feels like it, the kids telling stories about everything and anything, music being hummed along every now and then, and the view of the calming surroundings they pass by on their way to his parents beloved home. Their home. Mark’s nerves have calmed down and Donghyuck notices how he doesn’t need to be given a mini pep talk anymore about how his parents aren’t going to devour him. When they pass the last stoplight before taking a turn, where they’d have to drive further before reaching their stop, Mark reaches over to take Donghyuck’s chin in his hands and pull his face closer to the middle. Meeting halfway, Donghyuck not so subtly eyes Mark’s lips before pulling his eyes back up to look at his own. His mind was clouded not knowing why his heart is stuttering all of a sudden when he and Mark have kissed countless times. Although, the thing is, Mark didn’t kiss him and only opted to swipe his thumb over Donghyuck’s lower lip before returning his attention back on the road. 

He mumbles a small, “pretty,” which Donghyuck preens at. 

The twins are unsuspectedly quiet and Donghyuck knows they just witnessed the whole encounter, probably wondering just what the hell is happening. He really hasn’t planned entirely how they’re going to live a life with Mark and he’s not sure where they start but maybe meeting Donghyuck’s parents will be a tiny step to uncovering what they should really do. He looks over his shoulder to already catch the twins looking at him with a small smile on their pretty faces. The smile Donghyuck does that’s filled with nothing but sweetness or maybe pure adoration. He sends one back at them, knowing full well they trust their dad enough to always have his back and be his pillar in case he needs something to remind him of the ground. 

“I love you two,” he mouths at them, sending a little flying kiss over for them to catch. They giggle in return and Donghyuck feels his heart full, along with the light squeeze Mark gives his knee. 

Once the car is situated in front of his parents’ house, Donghyuck helps Mark get the kids out again, letting them run around the little flower patch his mom put in front of their house, making the entirety pretty looking. He also insists on carrying the backpacks, one on each shoulder, saying Donghyuck shouldn’t strain his shoulders too much as if he wasn’t straining his shoulders as well. Donghyuck couldn’t do anything but oblige. He knocks twice before the door opens wide, revealing his mother whom he hasn’t seen for quite some time now. She engulfs him into the biggest and tightest hug she’s ever given him, caressing the back of his head to soothe him, “I missed you, Hyuckie, I’m glad you’re home.” 

“Me too,” he mumbles, “can we go in? We have a lot of backpacks.” he asks shyly, apologetic for breaking the moment. The twins hug their grandma’s leg before running off into the house and he has no idea where they’re going to. Mark on the other hand stands behind Donghyuck quietly, trying to make himself invisible until Donghyuck moves so his mom could see him. 

“You must be Mark then,” she muses softly, “It’s nice to finally see the man behind every hopelessly romantic story Donghyuck has told–“ 

His eyes widen, alarmed, and he shushes her with incoherent words jumbled together, all trying to stop her from talking while pushing her inside the house. Mark follows Donghyuck’s lead and leaves his shoes by the door before setting the backpacks down beside the couch. 

“Now who left these two running around the house?” Another voice interrupts along with fits of giggles that he could only recognize as his kids. The voice belongs to none other than his dad. He gives Donghyuck a look before completely changing his aura as his eyes land on Mark, “Donghyuck? Who’s this?”

Donghyuck rolls his eyes, gesturing for the kids to come to him so he can change their clothes because the house is rather warm. “Dad, this is Mark, Mark, this is dad.” 

Mark bows politely with the sweetest smile he can muster, Donghyuck tries not to melt just looking at him, “Nice to meet you, sir.”

“He’s just trying to intimidate you, don’t act too stiff.” 

“Hyuckie” his dad whines, “You always blow my cover, I haven’t even dropped my questions yet.” 

“It never works, dad. I’m sorry but they never work.” he shrugs, pulling the sweater off of Dongwoo’s small frame while they both settle on the couch. Mark takes it as his cue to usher Dowon closer to him and pull her sweater over her head, leaving the white shirt for her to comfortably move without feeling hot.

“It’s fine, sir, we can talk through dinner then?” 

“Just call me dad, he does that, so will you.” his father smiles, Donghyuck gives Mark a knowing smile, quite similar to the knowing smile his mom is giving his dad, “I like your man, Hyuck.” 

Mark hangs his head low, trying to hide the pink dusting his cheeks when he hears the words come out of Mr. Lee’s mouth. He suddenly forgets what he’s so nervous about when they start treating him like their own and making him feel welcomed.

“Donghyuck just take your room with Mark, the kids won’t probably fit their crib anymore so I can fix the bed up for them in the extra room, don’t they sleep in separate rooms anymore?” 

“Yes, mom, that’d be fine. I’ll help you get their things in the room fixed, let me just bring our things upstairs.”

His mom nods and they take it as their cue to bring their things up to the younger’s room which basically just consists of a backpack for each of their clothes. Mark is rendered speechless once he steps into the room. It’s nothing extravagant but suddenly it feels like middle school again, every bit of Donghyuck’s childhood and adolescence. The posters on his wall, the blue painted walls slightly fading and the printed comforters. 

“Michael Jackson and Shinee, huh,” Mark points out, eyeing the worn out posters hanging on the wall. 

“Yeah,” he nods, setting down their things and fixing up the bed, “It’s been some time, I was supposed to take them down because they’re almost tattered but I guess not any time soon now.” 

Mark only nods, eyes looking around the room to find anything out of the blue, “the keyboard... almost forgot you played.” 

“Yeah?” Donghyuck stops in his tracks, standing up straight to face Mark.

The older nods sheepishly, hand coming up to scratch the back of his neck, “You were good, I watched some of your recitals.”

Donghyuck feels his stomach do something weird and his heart constricts, suddenly the room feels hot and his insides are acting weird, “Recitals?”

This time it was Mark’s turn to feel heat creep up his cheeks, averting his gaze on the floor, “Middle school” he mumbles, “and the end of year talent show in 2014.” 

Donghyuck felt like witnessing the biggest plot twist he’s ever heard in his entire life. Middle school Donghyuck was the peak era of his crush on Mark Lee. It was that time he was starting to figure out just how his feelings grew, identifying what he was feeling and why Mark made him feel that way. His eyes would always search the crowd during every recital for Mark, hoping to see him and get a boost but he never saw the older. Now he thinks maybe he didn’t look far enough. 

“Have you always watched?” he asked with genuine curiosity.

Mark only nods in return, feeling as though his voice would fail him. 

“But I was always,” he trails off, “I was always looking for you.” 

At this point, Donghyuck admits that he can’t believe the things coming out of Mark’s mouth but somehow he knows he’s saying the truth because why would Mark lie to him about something like this.

“Maybe you never looked far enough, I was always at the back, hiding behind the rows and rows of parents. You’d never look that far, wouldn’t you?” Mark smiles.

“Yeah, I guess I never did... I didn’t expect you to sit there,” Donghyuck says as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world. Who would’ve guessed that Mark Lee would merge himself among rows of parents just to hide from everyone and watch Lee Donghyuck play the piano. 

“Donghyuck...” he trails off, approaching the bed and sitting on the edge, “When I said I’ve always liked you, I meant I really always have from the start.” 

He looks up at the younger, now towering over him as he was seated. Donghyuck ran out of words, not knowing how to comprehend nor process just what Mark was saying. It was all too overwhelming, realizing how long Mark has liked him and how long they’ve been feeling the same for each other without knowing. 

“I left notes on your locker in year 12,” Mark blurts out, “Baby blue with pink hearts, lion doodle on the end of every note.” 

“Mark!” Donghyuck gasps and throws himself on the older, arms wrapped around Mark’s neck and face buried on his shoulder, “Stop it, stop it, stop it.”

“Why?” he asks with a low chuckle.

“Why?” he asks incredulously, “You never told me! You never approached me! I was stuck all these years pining over you thinking I’d never have a chance.” 

“But we’re here now, aren’t we?” he points out, kissing atop of the younger’s head.

“But Mark...all these years? We... We could’ve been something,” he says with a different spark in his eyes, almost as if he’s already picturing out how they could’ve been high school sweethearts, Donghyuck and the basketball team captain. Mark has always been dreamy, always everyone’s crush, whether or not you liked it, Mark was your high school love. 

Mark looks at him and contemplates, opening and closing his mouth before finally settling into a determined face, “But you wouldn’t have had the kids then...” 

Donghyuck blinks. Once, twice, and rapidly, “I...I, well, yeah...I guess I wouldn’t have.” he sighs.

It’s like time stops because suddenly he looks around his room, nostalgia kicking in. He sees middle school Donghyuck frustrated over his feelings, looking at his phone and scrolling through Mark’s profile for the first time, feeling guilty because he knew it was ridiculous knowing the older would never bat an eyelash at him, then high school Donghyuck comes flashing in and he is still pining over Mark Lee who’s now the basketball team captain. He remembers trying to get over Mark and spending lazy afternoons with Jeno and everyone else inside his room, him ranting over Mark and school while they’re all sprawled everywhere. Suddenly, it’s him crying over a reckless move, his mom and dad trying to reach out for him but he never answered the door. It all comes down to him crying on his mom’s shoulder, soaking her shirt while his dad wraps them up in a tight hug, reassuring him everything’s going to be alright. It was then when the crib was situated in his room with two little pocket-sized Donghyucks trying to get on their feet to stand until he tells them they’re moving out and he starts packing up his things, Mark buried in the back of his mind but still there.

They end up staring at each other silently. If Mark notices the tears forming in Donghyuck’s eyes threatening to fall down he doesn’t mention it at all. 

“Well, this is me,” he says, gesturing around the room, “Before college and all that, this was me.” 

“It’s nice to meet you.” Mark nods, sincerely watching Donghyuck’s every word.

“Mom and dad like you, the twins like you too,” he trails off with a soft voice, “I just hope your mom and dad would...would like us too.”

“Why wouldn’t they? Hyuck, you’re everything, you’re perfect.” Mark urges, arms wrapping tighter around the younger. 

“I’m not and I know it’s going to be hard for them to accept having me as your boyfriend when I literally have kids,” he tries to contradict, shaking Mark out of his ideals. 

“Say that again,” the older blurts out of the blue. 

“What?”

“Say it again.” he says firmly.

“It’s hard for them to accept having...” Donghyuck realizes what Mark means and immediately groans with his hands on his face, “I can’t believe that’s the only thing you picked up!” 

“Why not? It sounds nice,” Mark smiles smugly, bangs flopping down on his forehead, reaching his eyes, “I like it.”

“Oh... You have it bad,” he says as he stares at Mark like the other just grew another head.

Mark nods nonchalantly before looking up at the younger, “Kiss me?” 

The younger shakes his head, before leaning down and leaving a small and chaste kiss on Mark’s lips, shrugging out of his hold and heading towards the door, “Fix the things and get your ass downstairs for dinner, I’m going to help mom fix the kids’ room.” 

It was a couple of minutes in when Mark heads downstairs, only to catch the twins playing in the living room with their grandpa and Donghyuck working in the kitchen with his mom. He gives his dad a genuine smile before crouching down so the kids could greet him with a kiss on his cheek as though they haven’t seen each other in ages. 

“Hi,” Mark greets ruffling their hair, “what are you up to?” 

Dowon giggles and retreats towards the coffee table where something like a photo book is situated. She returns with a photograph in her hand, waving it in front of Mark’s face, seemingly too proud of what she found, “Baby appa!” 

Mark furrows his eyebrows in confusion before turning it into a full blown smile after he realizes that the photo was of Donghyuck doing a little squat, both hands cupping his cheeks, in the middle of a walking path in Jeju. Curly hair atop his head, chubby cheeks squished. 

“You can keep it,” he hears Donghyuck’s dad say. Mark feels his cheeks heat up, he probably saw how Mark had so stupidly smiled instantly when he saw the photo.  _ God, this is embarrassing _ , “I don’t have another copy of that so you better take care of it.” 

Mark couldn’t find any other words to say other than a small thank you, quickly sliding the photo inside his wallet. Once he gets up to slide it back in his pocket, Donghyuck calls for everyone, saying dinner is ready. 

It goes by smoothly, Donghyuck feeding Dongwoo and Mark feeding Dowon. Later on, the kids just start scooping their food with their spoon and shoving it in Donghyuck and Mark’s mouth, which they gladly oblige. 

“So how’s life in uni?” Mr. Lee asks, wanting to start a conversation again despite the other one ending just mere seconds ago. 

“Fucks me up,” Donghyuck answers, completely forgetting to monitor his language when the kids are around. His eyes widen, immediately diverting his gaze towards the kids. 

“Fuck!” Dongwoo repeats all too gleefully. Donghyuck groans while he collects himself and shushes the child, “No, no, baby, not a baby word. Don’t say that, not good.” 

Dongwoo visibly slumps, lips pouting and Mark has to stifle his laughter because it reminds him too much of an upset Donghyuck, “Not a baby word, okay? Not good, appa is sorry. Don’t say it again, promise?”

His lips are still in a pout, though he nods in agreement as he seals the promise with a kiss on his dad’s cheek. 

When dinner is over, Donghyuck insists that his parents go rest up while he and Mark do the dishes and all the cleaning. He finds himself zoning out when he turns to look at the kids watching television as Mark puts their toys back into the little bucket of toys. It’s like he fits perfectly, all too perfectly, with the kids. It’s like the role of having him by their side was perfect for him, made for him. He wonders if Mark is really aware of the life he’s gotten himself into or if he’s just blinded by puppy love. By the time Donghyuck finishes washing the dishes, the twins are already wrapped in Mark’s arms, eyes fluttering closed while they still try so hard to fight the sleep away. 

“Papa” one of them mumbles. Donghyuck’s imaginary sirens quickly go off in full volume and his eyes fly right at Mark, only for Mark to already be looking at him. 

“They’re still struggling with saying appa...” Donghyuck whispers, trying to prevent making a fuss over such sleep talk. 

“Papa...” Dowon clearly says this time, eyelids opening sleepily to look up at Mark from where her head is leaning comfortably on the boy’s chest, “Love papa,” she mumbles with so much sleepiness it’s almost incoherent before she completely passes out.

“It’s probably because they’ve been spending too much time with you,” Donghyuck tries to lighten up the mood and divert the attention away, gently taking Dongwoo from Mark’s arms and gesturing towards the room at the end of the hall where they set the kids down on their bed. He tucks them in with their comforters and kisses their forehead each with a soft goodnight. 

“She called me papa, didn’t she?” Mark asks once Donghyuck closes the door behind him. 

“I’m sorry, Mark, I’ll tell them not to–“

“Why?”

“I don’t want to make you uncomfortable,” Donghyuck sighs, propping himself onto the worn out couch they’ve had ever since he was little. 

“I like it,” he insists before Donghyuck tries saying anything further that would be the exact opposite of how Mark feels, “I know your little home has always been for three, but maybe you could let me in?” 

“If that’s what you want,” he sighs, “It’s papa and appa... from now on, then...” Donghyuck mumbles, eyes unfocused due to what he just heard.

“Start over with me?” Mark asks, tilting Donghyuck’s chin upward so he could see his face from where he’s standing. 

The other hums with a warm smile, so welcoming and sweet, “Continuing... with you,” he corrects, wanting Mark to understand that he’s not in it to erase a part of his past, but to continue with good intention and look forward to a beautiful path ahead. 

Donghyuck reaches out for Mark’s hand, intertwining their fingers together before pulling him closer so that the older may sit on the couch beside him. He lets out a contented hum, leaning his head on the older’s shoulder, feeling content. 

“I can’t believe the university’s basketball team captain is my children’s dad...” 

“Can’t believe you’re real...”

“Shut up.” 

“You’re too pretty...”

“Mark.” 

“Come here,” He mumbles softly. Seeming as though Donghyuck isn’t close enough, Mark tugs him nearer so that literally half of his body is weighing on the older. When Donghyuck is settled on his lap, he asks. “Can I?” bumping his nose on the other’s.

“Room...” Donghyuck answers quite groggily. With all the strength he has left, Donghyuck pulls himself out of the older’s hold and stands up to drag himself towards the stairs heading to his room. It took all of Mark’s willpower to not come up and carry Donghyuck instead because it bothers him how sleepy and tired the other was.

Once he’s settled in bed, eyes barely open, Mark takes his time making himself comfortable beside the younger. “You deserve a break from all this, you’ve been overworking yourself.” 

He kisses Donghyuck’s forehead, each of his cheeks, his button nose, his eyelids, his chin, his hair, his temples, before placing a chaste kiss on his soft heart shaped lips. Donghyuck feels soft and mushy almost as if he’s afloat, like the feeling on cloud nine, like soft comforters and sweet boyfriends. Mark intertwines their fingers and brings Donghyuck’s hand close to his heart. “Hey, I love you.” 

“I know now,” the younger answers, “I love you.” 

He feels it before he sees it, Donghyuck’s other hand coming up to pull him closer by his nape, pushing Mark’s head forward so that their lips would slot perfectly together. Warmth dancing on warmth the moment he feels the full, pink, heart shaped lips adorning the younger’s face. Donghyuck was soft and unlike any other, all warmth and soft edges. His tongue swipes on Mark’s lower lip, going past his parted lips and further feeling the warmth of Mark’s mouth where his tongue goes past every nook and cranny. The exchange is new and unnecessary but Donghyuck insists, pushing himself further into Mark’s warmth, chest to chest, shoulder to shoulder, leg draped over the older’s. He lets go of Mark’s hand to tangle his fingers through Mark’s hair and tugs at the ends to emit a sound from Mark. He more than easily obliges to Donghyuck’s intention and elicits something akin to a restricted moan. 

The younger preens on the sound, preens on the thought of Mark completely pliant for him, preens on having the upper hand and preens over Mark’s adoration for him. Once they part, the sticky stretch between their lips is glossy and visible, glistening between them, from Donghyuck’s pink tongue poking out from his slightly parted lips, and Mark’s almost bruised lips.

“You need a break, baby.” 

“Maybe I should take a break tomorrow,” he mumbles, “Besides, they have their papa to take care of them now, don’t they?” Donghyuck still manages to tease with a smug smirk on his face. Mark lets him. There’s no point in contradicting when it’s true. Tomorrow will be the start of Donghyuck’s well deserved break because finally the home has a room for four. Mark is home, and home is with Donghyuck.

**Author's Note:**

> Since ao3 changed their system or rule rather, I hope you don't mind leaving comments and kudos if you think you liked it. Everything is well appreciated on my part and I love reading feedback!! Thank you so much<333


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